Ultraviolet and Electron Beam Curing
Inerting Technology to Improve Performance of Radiation Curing
Beaming for Success
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and electron beam (EB) curing have brought speed, quality and environmental benefits to conventional drying and curing processes. Instead of using heat and solvents to dry/cure and harden coatings, these innovative processes use a high-intensity light or electron beam to achieve the same results. However, the effectiveness of both EB and UV curing can be compromised by the presence of oxygen (O2) in the curing chamber. Free radicals react with O2 molecules rather than with the uncured, fluid substance on the substrate, leading to unsatisfactory curing results.
This can be avoided by flushing the curing chamber with an inert gas such as nitrogen (N2) or carbon dioxide (CO2). In this oxygen-reduced atmosphere, the material is cured within milliseconds to create a higher-quality surface offering a higher gloss and much better resistance to scratches. In the case of EB curing – which does not require photoinitiators - an inert atmosphere is essential to achieve good results.
Benefits of radiation curing in an inert environment
- Higher curing speeds
- Lower energy costs
- Quality gains - elastic, glossy surface that is highly resistant to scratches and chemicals
- Reduced odor - key advantage for food packaging
- Reduced need for expensive photoinitiators in UV curing
- Less chamber contamination for longer UV lamp and reflector service life
- No formation of ozone and reduced formation of harmful substances such as nitric acid in the case of EB curing
Flexible Technology for Vast Application Spectrum
Radiation curing is ideal for a wide range of printing, packaging and finishing applications. In addition to the drying and polymerization of printing inks, varnishes, adhesives and other coatings, UV and EB curing are also suited to siliconization, cellophanization and film lamination. Whether you print aluminum yoghurt cup lids, varnish synthetic wood veneers, produce laminate and vinyl flooring or coat 3D-printed parts, inerting can greatly enhance your curing results.
We support a broad spectrum of delivery options and on-site generation solutions to match your individual gas purity, temperature and capacity requirements, including the metering panels and flowtrain equipment required to supply and control the gas flow to your UV or EB unit and the devices needed to measure your O2 concentration. Our experts also provide consulting, testing and installation support.
Recovering Energy for Cost and Climate Gains
Given the high volumes of N2 or CO2 gas typically required for curing operations, resource and energy efficiency is a pressure point for many operators. We can help you increase the sustainability of your curing step by integrating our CUMULUS® gas recovery solution into your process flow.
CUMULUS was designed specifically to capture the large volumes of cold energy that are usually vented to the atmosphere when the liquid gas is vaporized. It uses a dedicated heat exchanger in the existing cooling cycle to capture the cooling energy and feed it to the process medium cycle. This reduces the operating load on the energy-intensive refrigeration system so it is required less frequently. CUMULUS thus saves energy and reduces your CO2 emissions.
CUMULUS can be used as a standalone solution or integrated within your existing cooling cycle to supplement refrigeration capacity.
